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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28082454">Old Friend, Come Again</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/diasybe/pseuds/diasybe'>diasybe</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>MCYT Oneshots [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>DreamSMP, Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Best Friends, Cussing, Gen, Loneliness, Minecraft lore, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Platonic Male/Male Relationships, Platonic Relationships, References to Depression, also don't worry depressedinnit isn't depressed for too long, and subsequent realization, how tf does one tag-, if you ship tommy or drista with anyone, manipulation (by dream), oh yeah, seriously, server hubs are a Thing, there is NO SHIPPING IN THIS FIC, ummm - Freeform, you know the way out</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 19:00:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,491</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28082454</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/diasybe/pseuds/diasybe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There’s a muffled curse from the portal as a figure tumbles out. She stands, brushes imaginary dust off of herself, and swings her head around. Long, dirty blond hair smacks into the edges of a rounded white mask, so similar to her brother’s.<br/>Drista spreads her arms out and grins. “Tommy!”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Clay | Dream &amp; Clay | Dream's Sister Drista (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream &amp; TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream's Sister Drista &amp; TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>MCYT Oneshots [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2057238</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>292</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. come and visit</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The stream today inspired me, what can I say? Honestly, we need more Drista content. I was browsing through the Drista character tag (because apparently, that's a thing now!) today in lieu of doing actual schoolwork and I love the fics. If you love Drista as much as I do, I'd highly recommend scrolling through her tag and checking out the works.</p><p>This fic is actually going to be a two-shot, because I'm an inconsistent bitch! Anyways, enjoy :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Tommy!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The boy doesn’t bother looking over his shoulder; there’s only one person who comes to see him anymore. “Hey, Dream.” He kicks his feet in the waves, disturbing the salmon that had come to inspect the intrusion into their waters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s a sigh from behind him that makes him stiffen up automatically. He doesn’t want to make Dream mad. If Dream gets annoyed at Tommy, that usually means he’s going to blow up all of the resources Tommy’s gathered in the time between his visits. If Dream gets annoyed at Tommy, that usually means he’ll leave and not come back for days.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hates to admit it, but he craves the company.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tommy knows what he must look like to Dream. The weeks without his closest friends have taken their toll- there are deep shadows under his eyes. His clothes, smudged with dirt and dried blood that he won’t- can’t clean, are starting to tear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He kicks the water again, angrily. It’s all Dream’s fault anyway. He knows Tubbo wouldn’t have exiled him if Dream hadn’t threatened him. (That doesn’t stop him from being mad at his best friend, though. It’s easier to be angry.) Still, Dream’s been visiting. Tommy wants to deny it, and he mostly does, but in moments of weakness, he has to admit that Dream isn’t evil. He can hear Techno’s voice in times like those, lecturing: </span>
  <em>
    <span>There is no black or white, Tommy. Everybody is a thousand little shades of gray.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The silence is deafening, but it takes so much energy to start a conversation, and Tommy is… really tired today. Dream kicks a spray of sand towards him. Normally, that would be all it took for Tommy to jump to his feet and start a barrage of angry insults towards him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead, he hunches over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, Tommy,” Dream scoffs, giving Tommy a friendly push.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tommy really would like to stay in the water, but at another shove from Dream, he scrambles up. As much as he’d like to stay where he is, he’d like to keep his armor more. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello, big man,” he says, trying to put some enthusiasm into his voice. It really is nice for Dream to come hang out with him- he knows he isn’t exactly the best company these days. “What’s up?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He can’t really tell (the mask hides Dream’s expressions pretty well), but he can sense a grin as the man sort of sings, “I’ve got a surprise for you!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tommy can’t help a dry laugh at Dream’s tone. “Oh, really? And what would that be?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Dream’s response is a slightly maniacal cackle, Tommy shivers. He feels the beginnings of nervousness but pushes it down. “Dream?” Tommy asks, watching as the man trots away from the beach, into the woods by his cabin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He picks up speed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dream?” Tommy starts jogging after him. He doesn’t want to be left behind, no matter how fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>vague</span>
  </em>
  <span> the menace is being.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The menace who has now disappeared from sight, a loud wheezing Tommy’s only companion. Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t do much to ease his thoughts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dream, you bastard, wait up!” Tommy shouts, breaking into a run. He can’t believe this is his life.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>On second thought,</span>
  </em>
  <span> he reflects as he crashes through the trees in a mad attempt at keeping up with Dream, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I can believe it. Why wouldn’t this happen? My life is already so goddamn weird.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>~~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Tommy finally stumbles into a little meadow, a good hundred blocks from Logstedshire, Dream is standing by a structure that looks a bit like a nether portal. It isn’t lit, though, and it’s made of…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that- is that crying obsidian?” Tommy puffs out, doubling over to catch his breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dream coughs out a laugh at Tommy’s expense. “Sort of. This is a server portal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that, Tommy straightens up. An expression of awe crosses his face. He knows he must look idiotic, but he reaches out to trace his fingers on the runes carved into the portal material. “This is insane,” he breathes, walking in a circle around the monument.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The crying obsidian isn’t purple, though,” Dream points out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tommy leans in. “Oh. Oh! It’s green.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dream nods. “Most server portals are made with white crying obsidian, which means they’re set in neutral. When activated, they lead to the server hub. Some server portals are specially designed to lead to other servers, though, like a one-way secure connection.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tommy claps his hands together. “And this is one of those?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another nod. “It can only be activated by a special kind of flint and steel, enchanted to light this specific portal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just like in the stories-!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. All legends come from some truth, Tommy,” Dream says. “Anyway.” He tosses something at the boy, who fumbles and catches it. “I only had a few of these made.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tommy glances down and sees the flint and steel in his hands glowing a shade of green to match the crying obsidian. He squints at Dream. “Why are you giving me one?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dream shrugs, but Tommy knows the man. He knows that Dream doesn’t do a single thing without calculating exactly why it would benefit him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The person- maybe people, now- that live in that server are very important to me,” he says carefully. “I’m trusting you not to put their lives in danger.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tommy bows his head, a little overwhelmed. “I won’t,” he promises. “I won’t breathe a word of this, not even to Wil- Ghostbur.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dream pats his shoulder. “Thank you. Now, watch. I want you to know how to activate it, in case something happens and you need to get there for some reason.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He watches, trying to stay quiet but unable to stop bouncing and spitting out questions. Luckily, Dream seems to be in a good mood, a </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> good mood, and he just laughs and answers him. Tommy tries to memorize the pattern of runes Dream taps, a complicated dance of symbols around the portal frame that ends with him striking the flint and steel against the obsidian.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tommy jumps back as a flare of green bursts from the portal, bathing the clearing in shimmering light.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s a moment of silence where Tommy stares at the portal, then his actual personality catches up to him and he blurts out, “So who are we going to see?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dream chuckles softly. “Sorry, Tommy. We’re not leaving the SMP today.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tommy swallows his disappointment. “Oh. Then, who-?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s a muffled curse from the portal as a figure tumbles out. She stands, brushes imaginary dust off of herself, and swings her head around. Long, dirty blond hair smacks into the edges of a rounded white mask, so similar to her brother’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Drista spreads her arms out and grins. “Tommy!”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. chaos and revelation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Nobody’s come to visit you? Why not?”<br/>Tommy looks away.<br/>“Just because you’re on vacation doesn’t mean they can’t visit you!” There’s a swelling of something unpleasant in his stomach. Vacation. Is that what she thinks this is? Is that what Dream told her? “Listen,” Drista says abruptly, letting her feet touch the ground. “If Tu- that guy you told me about, your best friend, hasn’t come to visit, don’t you think something might be wrong?”<br/>“Shit,” Tommy realizes. “You might be right.” His stomach turns, but he can’t help feeling a bit hopeful. Maybe that’s the real reason nobody has come, because something bad has happened! Tubbo and Fundy and the rest are probably stuck in New L’manburg, unable to contact him, just waiting for him to come back. “What do we do?”<br/>She stares at him like he’s just asked her why the sun rises. “Tommy, you dumbass, we go help them!”<br/>And just like that, everything crumbles. “We can’t.”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I... have no excuse. It's been over a month (inmydefenseIthoughtthischapterwasshitandrefusedtouploadituntilsomeonelookeditover), but it's here! Chapter 2 :] part 3 is in the works and will be coming (hopefully) soon (again, no promises).</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“This is your home?” Drista asks. On their way back from the forest, she’d pushed her mask up. Now she stands outside the Tenret with her arms folded disbelievingly over her chest, staring.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes,” Tommy shoots back defensively, mirroring her stance. Logstedshire might not be much, but he made it all himself with barely anything to call his own. He damn well has the right to be proud.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She looks over it for a second, her gaze swinging over the half-built storage room, the scattered light towers, the messy path, and the wooden cabin. “Looks like shit,” she says simply.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tommy bursts into laughter. “Never was one to mince words, were you, dickhead?” He tugs at her hair affectionately. She grins and moves out of his reach.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dream had trailed along behind them on their way back like a silent, lost puppy until Drista told him to “go back to your boyfriend, you big baby, we’re fine”. There was a bit of arguing that Tommy got bored listening to, and then Dream left with the compromise of being on a communicator call with the two of them the whole time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is there anything else here, besides-” she gestures vaguely, “-this stuff?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tommy frowns. “There’s a Christmas tree… and a beach?” He points to the north.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Perfect.” Drista starts jogging in the direction he pointed to, which is when he realizes-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait, Drista- Nonono Drista wait, WAIT-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ooh, a </span>
  <em>
    <span>book</span>
  </em>
  <span>? I didn’t know you were a writer, Tommy!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dream’s panicked shouting blares from their communicators, mixing with Tommy’s in a cacophony of noise that makes Drista wince.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“PUT THE BOOK DOWN-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“DRISTA THAT’S REALLY NOT FOR THE EYES OF A MINOR-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They both fall silent once Drista lets out a piercing shriek.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tommy stares.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Drista asks defensively. “I wanted to join in.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A static wheeze filters through the communicators.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You looked like you were having fun,” Drista adds.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tommy can’t help it- he laughs out, a loud, joyous noise that echoes in the still air. He doesn’t notice how Dream falls silent and Drista smiles victoriously to herself. “Maybe,” he chokes out, wiping tears from his eyes, “maybe we should </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> go that way. And give me that!” He makes a wild swipe for the book, but Drista twists away and shoots a couple blocks into the air.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the fu- Drista you can’t just- you can’t just fuckin’ </span>
  <em>
    <span>float</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” Tommy says in disbelief.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What… doing,” Dream says faintly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re cutting out, Dre,” Drista informs him. Then, to Tommy: “I’m an Admin, I can do whatever the hell I want!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tommy has a sudden, terrifying vision of Drista realizing she has access to certain items. “You want to see the nether?” He grabs her by the leg and drags her through the air towards his portal. “It’s one of the few places I’m all-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Unfortunately for him, Dream is an </span>
  <em>
    <span>idiot</span>
  </em>
  <span> who has </span>
  <em>
    <span>no idea</span>
  </em>
  <span> how much of a menace his sister is. “Drista, don’t you dare place bedrock,” he warns.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her eyes light up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A few minutes later, through a series of escalating mishaps, Tommy is sitting in shallow water with his head in his hands. Around him, lava pours from the shore into the sea and trees burn with flames. Drista is floating in the air near his cabin, finishing the sculpture she’s so thoughtfully added: her name, made with bedrock. Dream’s shouts filter through her abandoned communicator, and the echoes and feedback pound into Tommy’s skull.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m done,” the little demon says, skipping through the air and hovering over him. “Look at my masterpiece.” She’s smiling, but the glint in her eye says it’s not a request, so Tommy heaves out an exaggerated sigh and follows her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Drista, I can’t get rid of this!” he exclaims once he catches sight of it, aghast.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She grins and perches on the </span>
  <em>
    <span>T</span>
  </em>
  <span>, swinging her legs. “That’s the idea.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jesus, this place is a mess,” Tommy groans.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It was already a mess,” Drista counters. “Now it’s more fitting of your personality.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whatever,” Tommy scoffs. “I want to get out of here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Drista makes a face at him that he doesn’t see, having turned around to march to the nether portal. He’s a little mad, if he’s honest to himself. He and Ghostbur had spent so long making this place a home, or- well. As much of a home as it could be. And then Drista comes along and wrecks everything. She’s just like her brother.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No. He shakes his head as if to clear away flies. Dream’s been nice to him, he only does what he does because Tommy makes him. It was nice of him to let Drista come visit, and Drista’s trying her best to cheer him up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s wrong?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>There, see</span>
  </em>
  <span>? he tells himself. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She’s being kind</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing,” he lies. “Just…” he casts around desperately for something convincing. “Just thinking about New L’manburg.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She’s pulled her mask back down again, and the blank smile is making him uncomfortable. He turns away, busying himself with the runes etched into the portal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why don’t we go visit, then?” she asks innocently. Tommy shuts his eyes. It’s not her fault, she doesn’t know, but it fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurts</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be asked that. As if it were that simple. “I mean, I want to see the place anyway- heard there was another war, and that Soot guy blew up the place,” her voice softens. “Sorry about that, by the way.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s fine,” Tommy replies automatically. When Drista doesn’t say anything, he sighs a bit. “Really, it’s fine. We rebuilt, and Ghostbur doesn’t remember anything anyway. I can’t really be mad at him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Woah, woah, what? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ghost</span>
  </em>
  <span>bur?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh. Yeah,” he starts, remembering how lives work differently in other worlds. “Wilbur lost his last life, but he came back as a ghost with amnesia. He’s a bit like a kid now, but he’s come to visit me. More than I can say for my other </span>
  <em>
    <span>friends</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” he adds under his breath.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Drista catches it. “Nobody’s come to visit you? Why not?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tommy looks away silently.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just because you’re on vacation doesn’t mean they can’t visit you!” There’s a swelling of something unpleasant in his stomach. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Vacation</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Is that what she thinks this is? Is that what Dream told her? “Listen,” she says abruptly, letting her feet touch the ground. “If Tu- that guy you told me about, your best friend, hasn’t come to visit, don’t you think something might be wrong?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shit,” Tommy realizes. “You might be right.” His stomach turns, but he can’t help feeling a bit hopeful. Maybe that’s the real reason nobody has come, because something bad has happened! Tubbo and Fundy and the rest are probably stuck in New L’manburg, unable to contact him, just waiting for him to come back. “What do we do?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She stares at him, dumbfounded, like he’s just asked her why the sun rises. “Tommy, you dumbass, we go help them!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And just like that, everything crumbles. “We can’t.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why not?” She frowns at him. “I know you aren’t scared.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not!” he shouts hotly, even though he is. Terrified. Of what Dream would do to him if he found out Tommy had left. Of what Quackity or someone else he knows might do if he returns without permission. Of how Tubbo would look at him, disappointed but not surprised, shaking his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Selfish.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You are,” she teases. “They should call you pussyinnit, you big cowa-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> a coward! I’m not!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For a moment, the only sound to be heard is Tommy’s heavy breathing. He leans against the portal, angrily wiping his eyes. There’s the soft weight of a hand on his arm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He tries to shrug her off, but she just floats into the air so she’s at eye level with him. “Tommy. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” he spits out. She doesn’t reply, just hovers near him, her presence a comfort.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why can’t you go back?” The question is quiet, curious but not accusing, and maybe that’s the only reason he can answer to her. To the one person who still thinks he has dignity left.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was exiled.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Winter break is technically over, but apparently, school being back in session gives me the motivation to continue (tfw you'd rather write something you've been putting off for a week than actually pay attention to your bio teacher). Once again, feedback and just comments, in general, make my day, so feel free to leave one!</p>
<p>This chapter was beta'd by the WONDEFUL, AMAZING <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherrycaffi">cherrycaffi!</a></p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey! It's going to be winter break for me really soon, which means (hopefully) I'll be writing a ton more, especially one-or-two-shots like the ones in this series. Keep an eye out for those~</p><p>Side note: If you ship Drista or Tommy, with each other or anyone else... you know where the door is. Don't do that.</p><p>As always, constructive criticism and general feedback are greatly appreciated! Thank you :D</p></blockquote></div></div>
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